Project description:Non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is a crucial gatekeeper of glucose catabolism in metabolic tissues. However, its role in regulatory T cells (Tregs) remains unknown. Here we report deleting transketolase (TKT), an indispensable enzyme of non-oxidative PPP, in Tregs caused a fatal auto-immune disease in mice. TKT deletion impaired suppressive capability without disturbing Treg cell number. Mechanistically, TKT deficiency caused Treg metabolic remodeling with decreased glucose catabolism, activated fatty acid and amino acid catabolism and uncontrolled oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, excessive ammonia from deregulated amino acid catabolism impaired mitochondrial fitness while reduced α-ketoglutarate/succinate ratio led to DNA hypermethylation, limiting functional gene expression and suppressive activity of TKT-deficient Tregs. Therefore, our study identifies non-oxidative PPP as a new pathway for controlling Treg function.
Project description:Non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is a crucial gatekeeper of glucose catabolism in metabolic tissues. However, its role in regulatory T cells (Tregs) remains unknown. Here we report deleting transketolase (TKT), an indispensable enzyme of non-oxidative PPP, in Tregs caused a fatal auto-immune disease in mice. TKT deletion impaired suppressive capability without disturbing Treg cell number. Mechanistically, TKT deficiency caused Treg metabolic remodeling with decreased glucose catabolism, activated fatty acid and amino acid catabolism and uncontrolled oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, excessive ammonia from deregulated amino acid catabolism impaired mitochondrial fitness while reduced α-ketoglutarate/succinate ratio led to DNA hypermethylation, limiting functional gene expression and suppressive activity of TKT-deficient Tregs. Therefore, our study identifies non-oxidative PPP as a new pathway for controlling Treg function.
Project description:Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical for maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity. Here, we show that the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) regulates Treg function to prevent autoimmunity. Deletion of transketolase (TKT), an indispensable enzyme of non-oxidative PPP, in Tregs causes a fatal autoimmune disease in mice, with impaired Treg suppressive capability despite regular Treg numbers and normal Foxp3 expression levels. Mechanistically, reduced glycolysis and enhanced oxidative stress induced by TKT deficiency triggers excessive fatty acid and amino acid catabolism, resulting in uncontrolled oxidative phosphorylation and impaired mitochondrial fitness. Reduced -KG levels as a result of reductive TCA cycle activity leads to DNA hypermethylation, thereby limiting functional gene expression and suppressive activity of TKT-deficient Tregs. We also find that TKT levels are frequently downregulated in Tregs of patients with autoimmune disorders. Our study identifies the non-oxidative PPP as an integrator of metabolic and epigenetic processes that control Treg function.
Project description:1. Reactions leading to the formation of 14C-labelled volatile compounds and compounds volatile under acid conditions were investigated in a system actively synthesizing hexose 6-phosphates from [U-14C]ribose 5-phosphate by reactions catalysed by enzymes prepared from acetone-dried powder of rat liver; no reactions involving 14C-labelled volatile compounds were detected. Similarly the fixation of 14C-labelled volatile compounds into hexose 6-phosphate could not be detected. 2. A complete carbon balance was made for the reactants, intermediates and products of the reactions involved in the conversion of ribose 5-phosphate into hexose 6-phosphate by enzymes of rat liver. Five additional intermediates of pentose 5-phosphate metabolism in liver were detected, namely D-manno-heptulose 7-phosphate, D-altro-heptulose 1,7-bisphosphate, D-glycero-D-ido-octulose 1,8-bisphosphate, D-glycero-D-altro-octulose 1,8-bisphosphate and D-arabinose 5-phosphate. 3. D-Arabinose 5-phosphate was found to be utilized by a rat liver enzyme preparation to produce both hexose 6-phosphate and triose phosphate. 4. D-Arabinose 5-phosphate was reversibly converted into other pentose 5-phosphates. Paper chromatographic and enzymic evidence indicated that the conversion involved an enzyme tentatively named arabinose phosphate 2-epimerase, which catalyses the following reaction: D-arabinose 5-P in equilibrium D-ribose-5-P. 5. A variety of rat tissues also utilized D-arabinose 5-phosphate to produce both hexose 6-phosphate and triose phosphate and at a rate comparable with that obtained with D-ribose 5-phosphate. 6. A new reaction sequence for the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway in liver is proposed.
Project description:Resistance development to one chemotherapeutic reagent leads frequently to acquired tolerance to other compounds, limiting the therapeutic options for cancer treatment. Herein, we find that overexpression of Rac1 is associated with multi-drug resistance to the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Mechanistically, Rac1 activates aldolase A and ERK signaling which up-regulates glycolysis and especially the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). This leads to increased nucleotides metabolism which protects breast cancer cells from chemotherapeutic-induced DNA damage. To translate this finding, we develop endosomal pH-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) which deliver Rac1-targeting siRNA together with cisplatin and effectively reverses NAC-chemoresistance in PDXs from NAC-resistant breast cancer patients. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that targeting Rac1 is a potential strategy to overcome acquired chemoresistance in breast cancer.
Project description:Living cells use signaling and regulatory mechanisms to adapt to environmental stresses. Adaptation to oxidative stress involves the regulation of many enzymes in both glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways (PPP), so as to support PPP-driven NADPH recycling for antioxidant defense. The underlying regulatory logic is investigated by developing a kinetic modeling approach fueled with metabolomics and 13C-fluxomics datasets from human fibroblast cells. Bayesian parameter estimation and phenotypic analysis of models highlight complementary roles for several metabolite-enzyme regulations. Specifically, carbon flux rerouting into PPP involves a tight coordination between the upregulation of G6PD activity concomitant to a decreased NADPH/NADP+ ratio and the differential control of downward and upward glycolytic fluxes through the joint inhibition of PGI and GAPD enzymes. Such functional interplay between distinct regulatory feedbacks promotes efficient detoxification and homeostasis response over a broad range of stress level, but can also explain paradoxical pertubation phenotypes for instance reported for 6PGD modulation in mammalian cells.
